Visual Futures Lab
Service Onboarding
Delivered multimodal design solutions solving onboarding, booking, and navigation challenges in a fun, creative, and intuitive way for SVA's maker space.
Visual Futures Lab
Making Space
The VFL is a space for learning, prototyping, and art-making open to SVA graduate students in every discipline.
Research Methods
Define
Desk Research
VFL Touch Points
- Physical Space
- Digital Resources
Analogs
- Co-working Spaces
- Scholarly Makerspaces
- Professional Makerspaces
Discover
Ethnography
Observation
- VFL Space
- Professional Makerspaces
Stakeholder Interviews
- 4 VFL Staff
- 4 IXD Students
- 2 IXD Staff
Develop
Co-Design
Participants
- 3 VFL Staff
- 4 IXD Students
- 2 IXD Staff
Desk Research
To ground the project in reality, we mapped the full journey of an incoming student discovering and accessing the VFL for the first time — from initial awareness through independent use. By examining the existing touchpoints across physical signage, digital resources, and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, we identified where friction, confusion, and missed connections were most likely to occur. This gave us a clear baseline to design from and a shared language for discussing the gaps.
User Journey Before
Ethnography
Finding 1
Students having multiple ideas for projects, but need to understand requirements and look to staff for answers
Finding 2
Students walking in to ask a "quick question"
Finding 3
Students having an idea for their project, but not sure which machine to use
Finding 4
People walking in but cannot differentiate the staff from students
Staff can come across as unhelpful and at times rude
Students lack confidence when working on a project
Students don't feel like the Woodshop and Digi fab trainings are enough to get started
Design Challenge
How might we increase student accessibility and awareness about resources at the Visible Futures Lab, so they feel more confident and self-sufficient entering the space.
Goal 1
Improve Students Booking Experience
by improving VFL website navigation and user experience
Goal 2
Students Visiting Experience
students more self sufficient and confident
Develop
Co-Design Workshop
We had the opportunity to co-design and to get a better understanding on what makes student more self sufficient and confident during their experience visiting the VFL.
Attendees:
3 MFA Students
2 VFL Staff
2 Faculty Members
Student Findings
I'm I booking the right machine?
What material do I need?
Should I buy materials? or do they sell them in VFL?
How much time do I need?
How much does it cost?
Staff Findings
Frustrating when students ask to use machines with no appointment
Students are spending more time on preparing files (wasting appointment time)
Students didn't remember how to use VFL machines
Interventions
Reimagined Digital Landing
Clear steps to accessing the space and clear digital navigation
Risk
It can be overlooked by students
Viability
Low effort, high impact
Building a stronger rapport between the staff and student
Sustainability
Questions & processes can always be iterated and updated